Shopping Centers Today is the news magazine of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
Issue link: https://sct.epubxp.com/i/513366
urban water use by 25 percent. To achieve that, the Water Resources Control Board has assigned conserva- tion targets to each of the roughly 400 agencies that supply water to the cit- ies and towns. Agencies serving areas with relatively high levels of water us- age per capita must come up with ways to cut usage by as much as 36 percent over 2013 levels. Agencies serving the lower-use areas, of course, will have to meet less-demanding targets. The agencies have discretion in determining how to achieve their spe- cific targets. They may, for instance, decide how much of the cutbacks should be borne by commercial and industrial customers versus home- owners. These agencies can fine cus- tomers by as much as $500 per day for failing to comply with the cutbacks and with new state bans, which in- clude prohibitions on using drinking water (called potable water) for such things as washing sidewalks and drive- ways or to irrigate ornamental turf on public medians. There are also bans on the use of potable water in decora- tive water features that do not recir- culate the water. Outdoor irrigation within 48 hours of "measurable rain- fall" is no longer allowed. And all this reaches even to restaurants, which are permitted to serve customers water only upon request. "If you are a large company with multiple projects over many munici- palities, you can't create a blanket pol- icy — compliance must be addressed locally by working with each water agency," said Chuck Shaw, vice presi- dent of development at San Rafael, Calif.–based Sywest Development, and also chairman of ICSC's Western Division Government Relations Com- mittee. "Companies like ours have been coordinating with our landscap- ing professionals to ensure that we are adhering to the requirements of each individual water agency," Shaw said. "We are also working with tenants to ensure they are taking all of the appro- priate conservation measures, which means, for instance, having no run- ning toilets or plumbing fixtures that use excessive amounts of water." Sywest and other California land- lords are hardly strangers to water- conservation issues. Many of them across this parched state have been working for years to curtail water use at their properties: upgrading irriga- tion systems and plumbing fixtures, tearing out turf for replacement with drought-resistant plants and, in some cases, refraining from replacing plants as they die off. As a result, some may have trouble squeezing out any ad- ditional water savings, particularly when it comes to making drastic cuts, says Rex Hime, president and CEO of the California Business Properties Association. Hime has been seeking to draw attention to this dilemma at the state level. He has also urged con- stituents to ask their local water agen- cies to consider those steps they have already taken to reduce consumption when developing mandates for cus- tomers. "Shopping centers have been working to conserve water because it makes both environmental and busi- ness sense," said Hime. Some properties have already cut their water use significantly in recent years by installing native plantings, drip irrigation systems and "smart" ir- rigation controllers, Hime says. "They may have already reduced consump- tion at certain sites by 40 percent, and 48 S C T / J u n e 2 0 1 5 The average Californian uses 196 gallons of water per day and 30-60% of their water outdoors. Here are some easy outdoor tips to reduce water use. Find the right combination for you to reduce by 20% or 39 gallons a day. What does a 20% Reduction in water use look like? OuTdOOr waTer For more tips on reducing water use, visit saveourH 2 O.org! use a brOOm TO Clean OuTdOOr areas 8-18 gallons per minute saves waTer planTs early in THe am planT drOugHT-resisTanT Trees and planTs 25 gallons each time you water 30-60 gallons per 1,000 sq. ft. each time saves saves adjusT sprinkler TO waTer planTs, nOT driveway insTall drip-irrigaTiOn use mulCH On sOil surFaCe seT mOwer blade TO 3" (enCOurages deeper rOOTs) insTall a "smarT" COnTrOller 12-15 gallons each time you water 15 gallons each time you water 20-30 gallons per 1,000 sq. ft. each time 16-50 gallons per day 24 + gallons per day saves saves saves saves saves